


Slowly Then All At Once

by SakiaLumei



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: F/M, Invisible Kingdom | Revelation Route, LeoSaku Week 2016, Lotsa Time Skips, POV switch, Some Violence and Some Pillowtalk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-18
Updated: 2016-12-18
Packaged: 2018-09-09 12:46:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8891290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SakiaLumei/pseuds/SakiaLumei
Summary: Born on two different sides of the world, the gaps between them every so slowly begin to vanish. [Proximity/Distance Prompt]





	

**Author's Note:**

> First LeoSaku week entry, WHEW! There will be another written entry, 3 artistic entries, and one mixed media. My masterpost will be here: http://sakialumei.tumblr.com/post/154623077500/leosakuweek2016  
> Thanks!

**Slowly, Then All At Once**

 

When he was born, he had rudely awakened his mother in the ungodly hours of the night, unable to wait until morning. Though tired and weary, his father had held him in his arms for a brief moment, deciding on a name strong enough to protect his son. Leo, a name bearing pride and glory that his father knew he was destined for. Looking back, his name might have been the only gift that Garon had ever granted him.

On a bright spring day, Queen Ikona brought her last child into the world. From the second that she gave her first cry, the girl was surrounded by the love of her family. After she was cradled and calmed, Ikona called her by the name chosen by her and Sumeragi. Sakura, the cherry blossom trees found only in their fair kingdom. Though she lost the parents that so blessed her with it, she would never forget the love behind her name.

* * *

 

Not a day passed without another child being thrown out of a window, or poisoned in its sleep. The concubines, including his mother, were mad, utterly mad. There were so many nights in which his mother held him in her arms as he slept, her dagger in hand as she stared down the door that could be kicked down any minute. Leo foolishly thought that this act was out of love, but when he was older, he realized different. She wasn’t protecting her child; she was guarding her meal ticket.

The concubine wars ended, and towards the very end, his mother had also perished. Standing outside in the pouring rain, wearing all black as he saw them lower a dozen different caskets into the ground, he hadn’t shed a tear. He shared this trait with the purple-haired princess next to him, taking solace in the fact that he wasn’t the only one. To this day, Leo never missed her.

* * *

Hoshido was silent on the day of Queen Ikona’s burial. Sakura was too small to understand why she had to wear all-black clothes and refrain from making any noise as they walked with the casket. She wanted to ask why her mother was sleeping inside, why she was surrounded by wood. The monks closed the casket after their prayers. Takumi had squeezed her hand so hard trying to hold back the tears. Then, Sakura saw the monks light the casket on fire to send Ikona off. She screamed, begging them to stop because her mother was in there and could be hurt.

Looking back on it now, Sakura wondered what was going through that young head of hers. Death was never an easy concept for her in the beginning. Perhaps that was why she chose the path that she did: to ease the suffering of those around her and perform miracles to save lives. To stare Death in the eye and say, “Not today.”

* * *

 

 _I will do what no one else can._ Those were the words he told himself when entrusted with the legendary Brynhildr. He was tired of being pushed around by his fencing tutor or by his elder brothers. Every day, he would fall on his back with bruises on his cheeks and hands, close to tears as he stared up at the sky. No matter how hard he had tried, swordplay never came to him as easily as it did to Xander or Corrin.

Fine. So be it.

He clutched the purple tome in his hands, scrutinizing every inch of it. “Okay, you.” He pinched his brows, holding it before him. “Open!...” Nothing. “…Open!” Nothing again. In a fit of frustration, he tossed the book against the wall. He waited for something to happen, but the tome granted him nothing. Wiping the hot tears forming in the corners of his eyes, he walked back to it, picked it up, and dusted it off. It would be a while before Brynhildr opened it pages to him.

* * *

 _I’ll try my best_ … The first time Sakura used a rod, not only did it activate on the first try, but the crack on the training dummy closed completely. The Head Priestess of the shrine made her way past the other maiden trainees and trailed her fingers down the line. Sakura waited, biting her bottom lip and nearly snapping the rod between her fists. The priestess gasped softly before turning back to her, a soft smile on her lips. “My, my,” she said. “I expected no less from our esteemed princess.”

Sakura bowed. “Th-Thank you v-very much.” The other shrine maidens crowed around to see her clean healing, how not a seam of the dummy was out of place. She felt all sorts of looks on her back, ranging from wondrous awe to bitter envy. Either way, she shrunk in the face of too many people around her. She thought Shrine Maiden training was supposed to be a humbling experience.

Guess not.

* * *

The first thing Leo noticed when they met is color. She was vibrant, hair radiating in a strawberry shade, nearly the same as her cheeks against her pale skin. Her outfit was dyed in a deep red that he had only seen in fresh blood, but to equate her with such a crude image was wrong. The rest of her family shared her bright and loud features, making him and his dark clad siblings appear sickly with their skin that never saw the sun, and plain armor accented with what little gold they had. Though, he hadn’t the time to focus on the Hoshidans, not when Corrin stood between the two crown princes.

Elise had called for her big brother’s name, clutching her staff between her fists, just after the little Hoshidan princess had done the same.

Princess Sakura glanced over at her rivals for a second. Apart from the youngest, she saw nothing other than the coldness in their eyes. They were everything that her siblings had told her about Nohr: covered in armor of obsidian, their complexion faded, and hostile in every sense of the way. The Crown Prince of Nohr paid no attention to her, but she caught the eyes of the younger prince. He narrowed his brows at her with a piercing stare, a glare that could rival her brother’s. She knew that if he had done that at Hinoka, she would have scowled right back, but Sakura couldn’t. Instead, just before he turned away, she turned her brows up as if asking him “Why?”

_Why should Corrin go back to you._

“I have made my decision.” There wasn’t a soul on the field that did not give Corrin their full attention. He swallowed thickly, looking first at Ryoma, then at Xander. Neither side could predict whom he would pick. “I…I won’t betray anyone.”

Sakura felt her heart sink in her chest as he finally turned to his Nohrian brother. As he conversed with him, Leo smirked with a sense of pride.

“What are you saying!” Ryoma called. “You will stand against us?”

“No. I will not fight my Hoshidan siblings either.”

_I choose neither._

* * *

 

The second time they meet, no words were exchanged.

Her heart still beats madly when she thinks about how that vile Nohrian mage had his arm around her neck. He dragged her away, cackling at how easy it was to snatch her as she clutched at his arm. “C-Corrin!” she had screamed. Hot tears pricked the corner of her eyes with a mix of fear and frustration. _If only I was stronger, if only I could fight. I would have never_ —!

Before anyone else, she heard the sound of the air charging with a spell. Her heart sunk as she thought it to be of the mage holding her. Then, the ground underneath shook with fervor and a force against her back pushed her away. Sakura yelped, twirling around to come face to face with a tree, its trunk imbued with gold magic. Snatched in its branches and thorns was her captor, clawing in a futile attempt to escape. With a bloodcurdling cry, the tree sunk back into the ground, dragging him with it. She will always remember how wide his eyes were and how his outstretched hand was the last thing she saw.

Her savior spoke with a bitter voice. “You were the lowest of the low, Zola…” Sakura looked up to see him, atop his dark horse slowly making their way towards them. She noticed that his eyes hadn’t changed, and were still as cold as ice. She shrunk back as stared down his brother.

“Leo!” Corrin’s voice was so bright and warming to him, and Sakura hadn’t a clue why. “Thank you so much!” The Nohrian said nothing. “Are you to join us?...” he eventually asked.

And Sakura listened, clutching her own hands as Leo dismissed him and labeled him a traitor. _I no longer think of you as my brother!_ Then as quickly as he came, Leo disappeared.

It was then that Sakura glanced over at Corrin, her body still trembling as she recovered from the brief hostage situation. She could still feel Zola’s arm choking her and the force of the tree pushing her back, and she would never forget either feeling. But.

She questioned Corrin’s decision. He had chosen neither side, she had to respect that, but it still ate at her. Sakura had come to realize that she was not good enough to be chosen over Nohr. That included Leo. That included that cold man that could kill so easily without remorse then call his so beloved brother a traitor.

There had to be something, something that she was missing. Besides time, what did any of the Nohrians have that her and her siblings did not. What did Leo have that made Corrin so happy to see him again.

* * *

 

They finally exchanged words. Sakura thought that the moment would have been awkward and filled with the slight bitterness she tasted the last time they saw each other.

But ever since they jumped, the situation was different. One-by-one, seeing Ryoma and Hinoka, then Prince Xander and Prince Leo cast everything away to join their dear brother, she realized that in Valla, there was no Nohr, no Hoshido. Just some royal children a little way in over their heads.

They were equals in this army now, meaning she shouldn’t be shy around him. She caught him walking past and mustered enough courage to stop him. “H-Hello, P-Prince Leo.” Without saying anything, he paused and turned his head, awaiting a response. “A-Are you going to the meeting?”

“Yes,” he answered, as if it were obvious. “Will you be joining us?”

She shook her head. “Ah, no…I…I wouldn’t be of any help.”

Leo narrowed his eyes. “I see,” he said, turning half-face. “Perhaps you’re not cut out for the battlefield. If you think that way.”

Shocked at his statement, she said nothing in response as he bid her good day and left on his way again. She clutched the rod in her hands, her eyes narrow as she watched him leave.

She would show him.

* * *

 

Leo wondered if his words were the ones that turned a switch inside of her. She no longer stood in the back, but risked rushing ahead to heal those in the front lines. It was reckless to a degree, but he had to admire her courage. The least he could do was make sure no harm came her way. Exhausting work.

“Oh,” he said, once he looked behind him. She had followed him to the war council, it seemed. “Do you need something, Lady Sakura?”

She stopped in her tracks, eyes wide as they met his. “O-Oh, uh…I-I’m here for the meeting.” Leo’s eyes glinted with a spark for a second. “Th-that’s where w-we are…right?”

“Yes.” He opened the door for her. “Out of curiosity,” he said as she walked in, “why did you decide to join us?”

“W-Well…” She put her finger underneath her chin. “I…It’s important that I do.” Though there was fear in her eyes, she stood her ground, speaking to the best of her ability. “I-I need to know what’s going on out there. I-If I’m just out there b-blindly, I could d-do more harm than good.”

Huh. So she noticed. The Princess was more acute than he thought. Managing a soft smile, he followed her inside. “Then we’ll be glad to have you, Lady Sakura.”

It was the first time he had ever seen her smile. Hopefully, it was the first of many.

* * *

 

Their first touch is accompanied with blood and sweat.

In a very rare event, she had missed her mark, meaning the invisible solider stayed animate. Resembling a Nohrian knight atop a horse, it readied its sword to cut through her. Her eyes widened and her lips parted to scream, barely having enough time to cover herself with her arms. Just when it charged, a large black blur rushed in front of her. She heard the sound of metal tearing armor and flesh, and the tell-tale cry of pain that forced her to look up to see who was on the horse before her. Sakura yelped, seeing Leo’s right arm trembling, the lance protruding from his forearm. His blood ran down his black armor, staining the gold finishing as he grit his teeth, taking ragged breaths. With his left hand, he lifted his tome and summoned his signature tree, warping and ensnaring the enemy knight.

“P-Prince Leo!” she cried, catching him as he slipped off the side of his horse. His eyes winced shut, sweat caking on his tight brows. His arm still trembled and as she lowered him from his mount, she noticed another puncture on his leg and on his waist. Though he was heavy with his armor, she used all of her strength to drag him back, shouting at the others to cover for them while she healed him.

“Are…” His voice was hoarse, like he hadn’t a drop of water in weeks. “Are you...okay?”

She knelt down, holding him upright as she looked at his right arm, still bleeding profusely. “Wh-Why?” she choked out. “Why did you?...”

He half-laughed before the pain stopped him short. “The world needs healers…not fighters…”

This was only the first time Leo bled for her sake.

* * *

_Think of happier things…like their first kiss._

Only a couple of days had passed since Prince L, er, Leo had asked for her to stay beside him. They had agreed to keep it slow, especially since they were still at war. Their first stroll through the Astral Plane and their talks of the future had brought her so much needed comfort. Now, she had someone worth protecting, someone worth fighting to see a brand new day for. And knowing that Leo felt the same put her heart at ease.

In a twist of fate, it was him sitting beside her as she rested in bed. Though his bandages could use work, they still stopped the bleeding on her shoulder. As he made the final knot, she winced from the applied pressure. “Forgive me,” he sighed, “I must look like a complete fool,”

“No, no…” She shook her head. “I…I like that you d-did it.” He lifted his head to meet her eyes. “I’ll get better soon,”

“I’m flattered that you think so.” His features softened, mirroring her warm smile. “That was a close call. Are you alright?”

“H-Huh? You just bandaged me. I’m fine.”

“Yes, but are you _alright_.” He put a hand on hers and Sakura knew what his question meant. It was less about her body than it was her mental wellbeing. He had already picked up on the fact that she had these bouts of fear and anxiety occasionally after the matter. This time hadn’t been too bad, honestly.

“I’m fine. I promise.” She squeezed his hand, remembering how shy she was a couple of days ago to intertwine their fingers. Thankfully, his armor had hidden the fact that her palms were sweating. “Th-thank you for a-asking,”

“Of course.” His thumb stroked her knuckles and his eyes glanced down. She couldn’t quite define the expression on his face yet, but something seemed wrong. “Sakura…” His voice had caution.

“Y-Yes?”

“M…May I kiss you?”

Oh. So this is what shy and slightly embarrassed Leo looked like. His eyes were narrowed, brows turned up in worry as pink dashed on his cheeks. Now that she remembered, she had seen this face once before, when he first asked her to stay with him.

Squeezing his hand to reassure him, she said, “Yes…please.”

Her heart had never beat so loud as his free hand reached her cheek. With the tips of his fingers, he brought her closer as he leaned in, slowly closing his eyes. She closed hers as well, feeling his soft lips press against hers. From that touch, her body filled with warmth and delight. It didn’t just feel amazing; it felt right.

* * *

Sakura’s internal clock wakes her early, even when Nohr’s skies have not yet felt the morning shine. She clutched the bedsheet over herself, still not used to the chilly hours of the dawn. There was still a lot of she had to get used to, but at least one thing remained constant. Looking over, he was lying on his stomach, one arm hanging off the bed. Interestingly, he had a night robe on, meaning he slipped out of bed after she had fallen asleep. Sakura shook her head as she leaned over, seeing the book he dropped on the floor beside the bed. No doubt, he was up all night again, engrossed in his novel. And here she thought that their activity tired him out.

She wrapped her arms around him, pressing her chest against his back. At least he had managed to stay warm. Sakura put her chin on his shoulder, watching him stir. He groaned, but kept still in place, definitely awake despite his eyes being closed.

“You know,” he said, voice raspy from sleep, “that feels rather nice…” She giggled behind her lips, holding him tight.

“You’re always the one holding me,”

“I like holding you.” He chuckled. “May I?...”

“H-Hold on…” She felt some heat rise to her cheeks. “I…I kind of like this.” She liked finding the new, small ways where they could be intimate. Never did she think that something as simple as her being the one to hold him would give her the same thrill, the same skip in her heartbeat.

“As you wish,” he said, sighing. He paused, only moving to breathe, before he spoke again. “I had a thought. Before bed,”

“Oh?”

“It…It may seem strange to you,” he said, putting his hand on hers. With the signal received, she let go of him so he could turn on his other side to face her. “I thought…I thought of what would happen if you never stopped me that day.” Her smile faded and she furrowed her brows in confusion. “While I was on my way?...to the meeting?”

“O-Oh! Yeah…” He had been so cold back then, and from the look in his eyes, he was thinking the same thing. She slipped her hand over his, intertwining their fingers. “If I hadn’t, what d-do you think would have happened?”

Leo sighed. “I’m not sure.” His eyes glanced away, like they often did when he worried. “And I dislike thinking of it,”

“Dislike? How?”

His fingers tightened around hers. “This…is also going to sound strange, but do you know how many accidents and coincidences it took just for us to have been fighting on the same side?”

Sakura giggled, her warm eyes softening. “Hey, there are no accidents,” she said. “We got here because it was m…” She had to look away for a second to continue. “M…Meant to b-be.”

He slackened the line between his brows and the hold around her hand. “But what if it wasn’t? What if somehow, there was a time where I couldn’t be this close to you?” And he brought her hand closer to his body.

Sakura frowned in response, wondering why such negative thoughts plagued him. She had noticed his pattern before of doubting whether he really “deserved” to be with her or not, vexing her every time he questioned it. That doubt must have manifested into this line of though.

“You would have found a way,” she said, inching closer. “The same way you figure out everything.” Her head rested under his chin as he embraced her in his arms, the warmth greatly appreciated.

“I…I guess you’re right,” he said with a sigh. “Thank you…for believing in me,”

“Always,” she whispered, closing her eyes as his hand ran up and down her back. “I don’t want to live in a world where we’re so far apart…”

 

 

 


End file.
